Many children of ASD are commonly prescribed atypical antipsychotics (AAPs typically risperidone or aripiprazole) for associated severe irritability (tantrums, aggressivity, or self-injurious behaviors). Reference Nanjappa, Voyiaziakis and Pradhan 2Īberrant sleep patterns have been reported in 45% to 86% of ASD, BDZs can then ease it out.Įpilepsy has a bimodal distribution in these children before age of 5 and after puberty-BDZs can safeguard against this possibility as a cause of medical decompensation. BDZs can also be both diagnostic and therapeutic for comorbid catatonia in ASD-reported in 4% to 17%.

Apart from a rescue medication in behavioural decompensation, BDZs might address comorbid social or other anxiety disorders that can be difficult to tease out from social deficits in this population, yet ubiquitous in 30% to 40% of cases and largely contributing to functional disability and overall caregiver burden. Reference Naguy 1Īlthough BDZs are by no means a panacea, its use in ASD population may still have some merits to mull over. Anticognitive actions of BDZs in this special population with limited cognitive reserve (circa a quarter has comorbid intellectual disability as well) is also detracting.

Clinicians are generally reluctant to prescribe benzodiazepines (BDZs) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on the ground that children and especially those with neurodisabilities are at a heightened risk of paradoxical reactions.

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